Michael Carrick has confirmed he would consider a return to the international fold.
The Manchester United midfielder came in for criticism prior to Euro 2012 when it emerged he had asked not to be selected. When Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry sustained injuries, leaving boss Roy Hodgson with Jordan Henderson and Phil Jones as deputies for Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker, Carrick's absence became even more of a talking point.
But Carrick is anxious to point out that when the decision was made, it seemed highly unlikely he would even get in the squad, and if the call came again, he might view it more favourably. He said: "I've had no contact from Roy Hodgson, so it would be wrong of me at this stage to make a decision either way. But I would consider it, definitely."
Carrick had been selected just once by previous manager Fabio Capello since the World Cup, for an August friendly straight afterwards when he was forced to pull out through injury.
And having endured a pretty miserable experience in South Africa, when he did not feature for a single minute, the laid-back Geordie felt if he did scrape in, it would be as a bit-part player once more.
"I didn't kick the door down and say: 'You've got to play me or I'll leave'," he said.
"It wasn't a case of that at all. It was more that if I wasn't going to play, I'd rather not go.
"During the World Cup I never featured and I was never really close to playing. That was a hard time. I just thought if it was going to be the same scenario again, I'd rather let someone else go in my place."
Carrick is yet to speak with Hodgson - but, like everyone else, the United man feels there is scope for improvement after the summer performances in Ukraine.
"I watched bits of the Euros and thought England were up and down really," he said. "It was always going to be tough, having a new manager in, and I'm sure they'll benefit more in the next campaign."
Source: PA
